Want some one-on-one feedback on your songs?
Have a question about the music industry, or need some guidance on how to achieve your songwriting goals?
Utilize your mentoring credits to meet one-on-one with one of our mentors and get those questions answered!
Each session lasts 45 minutes and your membership includes two mentor session credits per membership year.
You may send in up to three songs to review with a mentor for each session. Mentors are currently available to meet via either Zoom or phone call.
For questions or to schedule your session, call the NSAI office at 615-256-3354.
Producer/bassist Jim Reilley will most likely be remembered as a founding member (along with musical partner Reese Campbell) of seminal folk rock band The New Dylans. Founded in 1986, the band barnstormed the US throughout the 90’s and won critical praise from Rolling Stone (who called their songs “offbeat classics”). After 9 years of solid touring often over 175 dates a year sharing stages with many luminaries including R&R Hall Of Famers The Band, Reilley moved to Nashville to sign a writing and production deal with Curb Records. As a songwriter, Reilley had over 50 songs recorded by such artists as Hal Ketchum, Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Tim O’Brien and had a European hit with Danish Rock legend Peter Belli. Albums produced by Reilley have won Best Album awards at Kerrville Folk festival and Merlefest as well as The John Lennon Songwriting Competition and many of them have gone on to be released by major labels and many have garnered millions of spins on Spotify and other streaming services.
Over the course of his career, Reilley has produced or made music with Sheryl Crow, Hal Ketchum, David Mead, Al Perkins, Pam Tillis, Daniel Tashian, Cheetah Chrome of The Dead Boys, The Mavericks, Hank Williams Jr, Jett Williams, Sam Bush, Tim O’ Brien and regularly works with members of The Jayhawks, Wilco, Genesis, Cheap Trick, Buckcherry, The Milk Carton Kids, The Doobie Brothers, The Dead Boys, Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, Richard Lloyd of Television, Joe Perry Band, The Black Crowes, Old Crow Medicine Show, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jack White band, Ten Years After, The Black Keys, The Band, The Beach Boys, 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M.Currently, Reilley is focusing mostly on continuing to compose original instrumental music for film and television as well as working with experimental noise rock avant-garde ensemble The Birdwatcher Experiment. Reilley also runs Nashville indie label Plowboy Records.
Rebekah Powell is a #1 award-winning songwriter, certified master life coach, and founder of Heartsongs Music.
After growing up in Nashville in a family of award-winning songwriters, she began her music career at the age of 16 when she became the youngest person at the time to ever perform for Congress to advocate for songwriters’ rights with NSAI. She has gone on to work with celebrated artists and producers such as Zooey Deschanel (of She & Him), Ward Thomas, James Otto, Sarah Darling, TyDi, Alice on the Roof, and many others. She has over 50 cuts on major, best-selling, and critically-acclaimed albums in several genres and received a #1 Award for her 10-song contribution to Ward Thomas’s chart-topping record Cartwheels, the first country album to ever reach #1 in the UK.
As a songwriter and life coach, she explores the power of storytelling to unlock deep presence and authentic self-expression. Over the last decade plus, she has hosted workshops on creativity, mentored writers and artists, and co-facilitated quarterly team-building keynotes on the art of collaboration for a Fortune 100 company.
Greggory Smith serves as Associate Managing Partner for Vision Entertainment Group, an independent artist development entity partnered with Entertainment Music Executive veteran, Brian Miller. Smith is responsible for establishing new artists, writers and producers and providing creative opportunities. Prior to VEG, Smith served as Head Of A&R for The Robosac Collection, an independent publishing entity owned by iconic songwriter David Porter in Memphis, TN. Before Robosac, Smith served as General Manager for Vintern Songs, an independent publishing entity parented by Entertainment One Publishing in Nashville. Smith was responsible for signing new writers and producers and providing creative opportunities to the aspiring creatives on the roster.
Prior to transitioning, Smith served as Regional Director of Creative Services for SESAC in Atlanta & Nashville. Smith assisted in the day-to-day operations in the Nashville office and day to day operations for clientele in Atlanta and Miami. In addition to his daily tasks, he is responsible for signing country superstar Blanco Brown, London On Da Track, Shawn Stockman Of Boyz II Men, GRAMMY nominated songwriter Patrick "j.Que" Smith, GRAMMY nominated producer Justin “Henny Tha Bizness” Henderson, Teddy Riley, Rico Love, Danjahandz, and Bryan-Michael Cox.
Nicole Witt is a nationally-touring, award-winning songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for her soaring melodies and clever turns of phrase.
She has written songs for artists such as George Strait, Lee Brice, Rodney Atkins, Jana Kramer, Terri Clark, Lauren Alaina, Balsam Range, Mandisa, and many more. In 2011, Witt received the international Bluegrass Song of the Year Award for Balsam Range’s “Trains I Missed.” In 2014, she was nominated for a Dove/GMA award for Country Song of the Year. She has moved into TV and film writing with song credits on shows like “Reign”, “American Idol” and the short film score called Black Mountain. In the spring of 2021 “Stronger” was written as a part of Ellie Holcomb’s Canyon album. Her latest release “You Ain’t” by Aaron Goodvin (feat. Meghan Patrick) went to Canadian Country radio 9/23.
Witt has spent the last 10 years writing and touring while building a grassroots small business as an artist, songwriter & mentor. In the past 4 years she has played over 200 dates performing all over the country and world opening for Kenny Chesney, Old Dominion, Trace Adkins, Billy Currington, Bacon Bros, Marshall Tucker & many more.